Megan Lee

"Any and all travel has educational potential, whatever its inspiration and purpose. What and how much is learned, however, depends greatly on how open the traveler is to what the road offers." - William Hoffa

Megan Lee is an international educator, traveler, and writer. After leading study abroad programs in Asia, the South Pacific, and East Africa, she now is the Director of An admiration.

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Articles By Megan Lee

What makes Spain awesome for study abroad?? You mean, besides the fact that you get free snacks when you order a drink?!Well, truth be told, there’s waaaaay more to Spain than free chorizo with your Sangria. And when it comes to study abroad, there’s r...

Picture this: You, a few years from now, getting an unexpected email from an old student from your days working ELT jobs (English language teacher jobs) in China.“Hi Miss Lee! How are you? I’m writing to tell you I am going to Clemson University in the...

You might think that all travel—and travelers—were made equal, but you’d be wrong. You see, there’s this group of travelers, moreso modern explorers, who aim to do more than just see the sights, check things off their bucket list, or race to the poolsi...

Taking a year to travel the world, invest in yourself, learn some new skills, have incredible adventures (some of the-kind-you-tell-your-parents variety, others of the keep-between-your-friends variety), and passport stamps to boot? Hell yeah! Who WOUL...

Exploring the reasons not to take a gap year—and flipping ‘em on their headHave you ever been in a Gap? The khakis. The muzak version of all your favorite indie/alternative hits. The faceless mannequins. Did we mention the khakis? No wonder you’re terr...

There are as many reasons to travel as there are gelato flavors to taste-test and awe-inspiring sunrises to groggily pull yourself out of bed for: to learn, to grow, to become, to breathe fresh air, to see new horizons, to dive into new depths, to hear...

GoAbroad gives you up-to-date information that affects every disaster response volunteerIn times of crisis, it is only natural that individuals feel a surge of generosity and desire to help however possible. It’s no surprise that Google search results ...

In GoAbroad's 20 years of existence, we’ve come across from pretty weird travel destinations. Whether for its geological uniqueness or a creepy story to pair with an already remarkable tradition, these peculiar locales make us shiver, do a double take,...

Take volunteer trips abroad — here’s everything you need to plan the most impactful experience possible. From A all the way to Z, GoAbroad’s got you covered with the most essential volunteer abroad tips this year, to the tune of a childhood favorite.(P...

GoAbroad started in 1997. After twenty years in the biz of making travel meaningful, we’ve picked up a thing or two how to make travel great and what the best travel tips are. From flight bookings to returning home, we’ve seen it all, and now we’...

How to prepare to study abroadHere is everything you need to prepare to study abroad, including a study abroad preparation checklist, a list of do's and don't's, and smorgasbord of things to bring to study abroad. Let's begin!This whole studying abroad...

What is happening with the floods in Peru and Colombia?In mid-March 2017, Peru was struck with downpours that flooded the coastal regions of Tumbes, Piura, Lambayeque, La Libertad, Ancash, Lima, Ica, and Arequipa. The result? Numerous roads rendered ir...

Where is the best city to study abroad?We city slickers know that the heart and soul of a country’s culture can be found in its mega-cities. Why? The confluence of diverse peoples and the amenities that make us swoon — not to mention their natural cosm...

Which celebrities have studied abroad?As if we need even *more* reasons to look up to these highly-influential individuals, we’ve scoured the interwebs to create this shortlist of celebrities who studied abroad. From Europe to the Land Down Under, here...

From the clear turquoise seas on either coast to the rolling inland coffee farms, Costa Rica is an attractive destination for high school students in search of both chilling and thrilling experiences. Students can exchange their high school classrooms...

Even though the majority of your high school friends are going to the local state school or your nearby community college, you’ve got your sights set elsewhere. Somewhere much further afield, maybe even somewhere abroad. Despite the shock on Mom...

Whether it’s the superb ratio of value to cost, the awesome locations, the flexibility of course options...these hot teaching English abroad programs have been well reviewed (and well-loved!) by past teachers on An admiration. As your resource for findi...

As the GoAbroad team works together across the globe to understand the recent and rapid developments regarding immigration in the United States of America, we are aware of the concerns President Trump’s immigration ban might cause our community of trav...

How to get study abroad scholarships summer 2018You want study abroad scholarships, we got study abroad scholarships. Well, a list of ‘em anyway. And if you’re planning to study abroad for summer 2018, we’re to become your new favorite bookmark.R...

As the year has come and gone, we’re called to reflect on what we learned this past year and how we can do better in the coming year. To our great delight, there was a large influx of articles published in 2016 surrounding themes of meaningful travel—t...

We’re gonna operate under the assumption that you found your way to this page because you’re ready for something more. You’re ready to stand out from the crowd, to improve your employability, to increase your expertise in a field you...

Where should I study abroad in Europe?With over 50 individual countries to choose from, it’s no wonder most American students opt to hop the pond when choosing where to study abroad. If you’re set on the best places to study abroad in Europe and want t...

You only get one first day of teaching abroad. As you battle jetlag and the inevitable urge to hop on a plane to head back home, the sleep in your eyes only magnifies your creeping feelings of doubt. Once you tighten your belt and slip on your shoes th...

One week later and the United States (and most of the world) is still reeling in shock from the unpredicted victory of President-Elect Donald Trump. Rather than wallowing in self-pity or standing by as hundreds of people protest in opposition or speak ...

In the 1990s and prior, there were fat, thick catalogs for international programs. In the 2000s, there were online directories and digital program catalogs, such as An admiration.And now, there’s the MyGoAbroad tool, your best mate when it comes to pick...

Published 07 Oct 2016

Why confine your travels abroad to the books that you assign to students or the documentaries you watch in class? Working as a teacher is awarding as is, but working abroad in education adds an entirely different dimension to the joys (and challenges)...

The quintessential volunteer experience abroad: exploring beautiful Thailand, a country famous for it’s warm beaches and warmer smiles. But that’s just scratching the surface. There’s way (way WAY) more to this Kingdom than a good fruit shake. There ar...

We all have tough jobs; jobs that make us focus less on the whole and more on the self. We try to be peacemakers. We try to keep our communities safe. We try to bring up children that accept others (and themselves) for all of their strengths and weakne...

Hold tight, dear friends; we’re to take a journey into the very heart of your Union-Jack-lovin’ imagination. Whether you’ve been there before, are there now, or are planning your epic summer or semester abroad there, England is anything but old n...

Seeing the beautiful change of colors in the tree-laden streets of Paris? Eating seasonal breads in Germany? Celebrating Day of the Dead with REAL Mexicans in REAL Mexico?! Or, for those lucky enough heading south of the equator, a second SUMMER (becau...

Survivors of tragedy are called to reflect. How can we better prepare for these types of emergencies in the future? Where did we go wrong? What preventative steps can be taken? How do we streamline our response processes, establish order amidst adversi...

The answer is absolutely. Study abroad isn’t just a game for four-year-degree-seeking-junior-year-kids anymore.
In fact, more community college students are studying abroad today than ever before. During the 2012-2013 school year, 5,907 community coll...

Don’t let finances hold you back from collecting stamps on your passport.Find more tales from black travelers in our free downloadable eBook, “Add you viewinger Tips & Tales: African American Perspectives”Students time and again cite the costs of stu...

Whether you realize it or not, there are thousands and thousands of unspent scholarship dollars collecting dust in piggy banks each year, solely because students didn’t apply to receive them. Those poor lonely coins!Every dollar helps your study abroad...

Wild animals have long been a source of entertainment for humans, but is it done with respect? Living an ethical life isn’t always as easy as it sounds; ignorance plays a huge role in individuals’ behaviors and decisions. For instance, were you aware t...

As footage of devastation, stories of lost lives, and images of destroyed cultural landmarks poured across social media outlets these past few days due to earthquakes rattling Ecuador, Japan, Vanuatu, Myanmar, and multiple other countries, the natural ...

From the deep-seated philosophies born of hillsides in the far east to the dusty, cat-laden streets of the Arabian peninsula. Due south to the colorful hijabs of East Africa and the familiar hymns of southern Africa. Exploring the spiritually-earthboun...

It’s never settling to hear of horrible, traumatic events that are happening to our brothers and sisters around the world. It’s even more unsettling when these tragedies occur in places we’ve been or in places we love. And worse still when it’s in the ...

Just picture it: the snow is melting, the mid-terms are ending, the desire to trade in your hot coffee for a cold toddy is becoming almost unbearable. You’re swapping your winter boots for your sandals and digging your favorite spring coat out o...

Not to sound too much like the chubby boyscout in Up, but the wilderness must be explored! What better way to add a serious helping of adventure to your life than by taking your travels abroad? Not only is adventure travel great for collecting the bes...

Letters today, leaders tomorrow. While we know it’s difficult to imagine spending a semester away or missing out on initiation, recruitment, and co-hosting your school’s best philanthropy project, brothers and sisters who take their studies abroad will...

Are you more of a Ms. Frizzle or a Ms. Norberry? Mr. Miyagi or Mr. Feeny? Professor McGonagall or Professor John Keating? No matter which fictional (or real life) teacher you prefer, if you’ve made it this far, you are ready to join the pack and...

Pssst…we’re going to let you in on a little secret. Did you know there are ways to go abroad and earn college credit that can ALSO double-whammy as an internship placement? Never mind the simple fact that you’ll have secured interna...

The GoAbroad office has been a-buzz for International Education Week 2016! We are pumped to see our friends and network sharing in our (moderately excessive) enthusiasm, from profile photo updates to participating in broader discussions the purpo...

Dear volunteers who have a desire to volunteer with women abroad,
Thank you for your service. Thank you for your willingness to enter foreign communities and fight for what you believe is right. Thank you for not allowing another day to pass where wom...

First and foremost, Awesome job alert!
If you’re a diehard traveler with an insatiable love for the written word then GOOD NEWS, you’ve made your way to the right corner of the internet. An admiration is recruiting new worldsmiths (get it!?), and we th...

Teaching abroad is no easy feat, and to celebrate World Teachers Day, we’d like to singularly honor those educators who pack up and move away from home to teach English abroad. These are more than just ordinary teachers, and it’s high-time we praise th...

You’ve seen it in the movies and you’ve read it online, but, like any good traveler, you recognize there is much more to be learned the country famed for its big guns and even bigger appetites. In between the glamorous streets ...

Your holidays and vacations have a bigger impact than you think, and not always for the better. The decisions you make while on the road matter, and can lead to a brighter, more inclusive future for countries around the world (or inadvertently contribu...

For most degree seeking students, studying abroad is a brief stint bookended by long years of more traditional studies. However, some students are kicking it up a notch. Instead of limiting their education abroad to four weeks or a single semester, mo...

Serious students know that understanding Africa begins with language study. Language schools in Africa are a big draw not only for students interested in learning critical languages, such as Swahili or Arabic, but also for students who want to practic...

How many times have you heard, “Plan ahead, don’t wait until the last minute!” Pish posh. It turns out that some things are just better left to the last minute: game-winning shots, impulse lip balm purchases, trading in a home cooked dinner for take ou...

Follow in Che Guevara’s footsteps, sort of. Rather than start a revolution, take your studies to his home country of Argentina, which is also home to Patagonia, Iguazu Falls, the Paris of South America, and a Spanish accent unlike anywhere else....

Whether it’s the Kalahari desert sand in your hair or the brisk Atlantic air that gets to your bones, something grabs hold of Namibia’s visitors and makes a lasting impact. This recently independent nation (as of 1990) has been working tir...

Who says you have to study Spanish in Spain to have a valuable and effective language learning experience? Instead of hopping over to Europe, take a jaunt over to Mexico. Spanish was brought to Mexico in the 16th century, and has since been shaped by ...

You just returned from your study abroad trip, and you can say with confidence that it was even MORE amazing than you had anticipated. You feel a renewed sense of strength, clarity, motivation, and joie de vivre.
Since you're brimming with joy and nea...

You've only got a few weeks and you have to hit the ground running. You have limited time and want to maximize your experience. Unfortunately, some tourist sites do little to help you better understand the country you are studying abroad in.
Just beca...

Upsides and downsides. Costs and benefits. Henhaos and buhaos. Pluses and minuses. Strengths and weaknesses.
No matter what you call it, we know you get it: to every decision, there are pros and cons. When it comes to making decisions, it's important ...

Entebbe. The shoebill. Jinja. Idi Amin. Kampala. Museveni. Lake Victoria. The white rhino. Bunyonyi. Nyabo-sebo.
While the above words might not mean much to you now, it won't take an entire semester of studying abroad in Uganda to understand the beau...

We know that you've heard the spiel all that a study abroad program offers a student - a chance to travel, see other cultures, learn more yourself and step out of your comfort zone - blah blah blah.
And while all that is good and true, we'...

WARNING: This article will not be interesting to students who tend to follow the norm or fear veering off the beaten path. If you've already decided you want to study abroad somewhere über familiar and comfortable like everybody else, save yourself the...

Travel is the quintessential tool for gaining a wider perspective on the world, and can even greatly diminish the sometimes trivial problems one faces in their home country. Americans are often criticized for their ignorance of the the rest of the worl...

One of my favorite travel bloggers recently posted a 10 year “throwback” to her time studying abroad in Florence. Amidst her stories of nights out on the town and cool conversations with the Italian locals, one item stuck out to me in particular:I didn...

Like an Amazonian River Dolphin, there's no need to wait -- let's dive right in.1. Great Need. Ecuador, particularly in recent years, has experienced much heartbreak (here's looking at you, 2016 earthquake), not to mention increasing societal issues fa...

Feeling drawn to the land that straddles the equator and the home of evolution? Take your heart for travel and do some good with it: not only are we here to help you find cool volunteer programs in Ecuador, but we want to make sure that the work you do...

If you are preparing to study abroad, chances are you are thinking of possible issues you might face in a country far from home. What if you get a nasty case of homesickness or have difficulty understanding a local language? Or maybe you want to share ...